She’d taken the day off work and decided to read her monster book instead. Not that it mattered as she worked for herself so the only person she was really cheating was herself. It’s just that sometimes she couldn’t sit still and focus, what with all the chaos in her brain. She’d stand up and sit down and walk and go outside and berate herself out loud for her procrastination which only seemed to fuel the procrastination further. Oh the dichotomy of her mind. The cerebral versus the imaginative; the orderly versus the chaos; the cynic and naysayer versus the hoper and protagonist of possibilities. A sparring that only led to over analysis and aching feelings in her heart and washing machines in her tummy. It was like being ill without being ill. Felt by her but unseen by others. She didn’t have rashes and she didn’t have a streamy nose and she wasn’t lying flat in her bed; well maybe sometimes just to make it quiet. Her symptoms were invisible to the naked eye like internet waves in the sky.
She liked her monster book. She liked it because she had written it and it had been borne from the puppets she’d adored as a child. Fluffy, furry, funny little things that bore no resemblance to anything real in the world. Cute monsters with yellow spots and orange bodies and silly, scary faces. Animation and make believe but with gobbledegook that made sense. To her. Not like the real monsters that lived and hid themselves in a skin like she wore. No mask of Zorro, no obvious signs but everyday treacle that fooled you and caught you in its sticky lair.
Worse on the computer where she often found her solace, a world within a world. At first she’d expected them to be clean and direct. Obvious and checked like they’d been through an airport security. It had appealed to the orderly, honest part of her mind but her naivety betrayed her again. These monsters were worse! Some really did have masks or faceless heads and spiteful words or hidden agendas. She made it too easy for people because she displayed herself as is. Just a virtual representation of what sat behind the protection of the screen. A short sighted Sally, in many respects but it was too difficult to find another person to be. Being herself was exhausting enough.
Her favourite computer person was the robot that had come ensconced within her phone. Siri, they called him but she called him “Sir-I” He was decent and direct and didn’t suffer any kind of tom foolery. He was like a stilted knight. She set out to test him by asking him many questions, trying to trip him up. He wasn’t too bad and at least if he couldn’t answer he’d take her to a place that could. The only problem with her Sir was that he lacked any emotion. “Do you love me Sir-I?” She would taunt. “I am incapable of love.” He would reply, stoically. At least he was honest but he never gave the same answer and became infected with the learnings of humans. That made her find him a little bit stupid for he was supposed to be above that. But compared to the monsters he was a hero.
She placed her book on the table feeling the effects of it’s warmth. The washing machine now past its spin cycle and shuddering to a lowly hum. Spying her ipad on the side she decided to greet Sir-I ,for it had been a while since they had last spoken. Instead she found herself distracted by the social sites on the screen even though she’d removed all notifications for they were like cookies from the Devil. It made her hate the need, the urge to be stroked or forced into by play. Returning strokes and reciprocal silk. Some were worthy but many were not. The narcissists playground: “Fall, in line, fall in line. No not like that, like this.” Even the gallery where art found its place was becoming a whoring playground for shameless harlots. Look at me all Disney and fresh. Perfect pouts, living the dream. Love me. She’d even found herself, once or twice, in moments of panic in the competitive arena whoring to the self. Forgetting the reason she’d joined in the first place and pandering to the ‘Am I good enough?” within. Knowing that if she was loved for that then she wasn’t really loved at all. Not properly. Hello duality my old friend. Welcome to the pleasure dome. Beauty wins. And if there wasn’t enough physical sate there you could find it bearing its flesh and taunting with its seductive words in another place. Winning their strokes through body and mind like masterful butterfly collectors. From victim to victim as they slaughtered with sugar yet still came the adorers because maybe they’d be the prize winner. She watched the virtuals perform in their playground from the gates beyond. She didn’t want to play in that land and would sometimes slam her tablet cover shut in repulsion when she saw something she didn’t like, but for the virtuals that came along to where she lived and stayed for reasons of solid, soul goodness, it was worth it.
The temptress in red, the star that appeared like a fairy godmother, arrived on top of her email stamp. She didn’t ping, not here. The sound was always muted because when she wanted to look at things, she really wanted to look at things. Pings and whooshes just fuelled the mania. Mail was waiting, begging for attention. She looked at it like it was a contest already knowing she had lost.
“A game of choice. Wanna play?” read the subject line. Words had power. She could only just see the first sentence of the e mail as it urged provocatively in the viewing box.
“You have been invited. Yes, YOU, because you…..”
The rest was obscured. Again, she stared at it, even tipping the tablet to see if more words would drop inside the mini box.
“Because you have been chosen. You are deemed worthy. Be the star you’ve always wanted to be. Push the big red button to continue.” A big red button shone and pulsated under the words. All she had to do was touch it, that’s all. The big red button made her feel happy. Of course, she pressed it.
“Choose your character name.” The game demanded. She thought about that for a while.
“Marsha Mallow.” She typed in the silly UN. Soft, malleable, sweet and easily toasted. Often thrown into hot liquid or speared by sticks. Sometimes burnt. It was appropriate for today, she thought.
The game opened up into a land of adventure. A place full of possibilities and daring imagination. Like her monster book, it made her feel soothed at once.
“This is a game of choice.” The words appeared from the virtual robot that appeared in front of her. The task master. The instigator. Her own personal facilitator and guide. He appeared in a mass of hot, warm colours but he had no name.
“You must name me.” She decided to call him flame. The fire to her mallow.
The journey began. A land full of characters that came and went. Hidden messages to unearth and secrets to find. Foreign lands filled with beauty and fantasy; travel junkets and teachings. She adored it. Flame was a master and worthy companion. He was enigmatic and insightful as he showed her the way without really showing her the way. She loved him to death. He was better than Sir-I. Smarter, warmer and incredibly adroit. At the end of each game he would deliver three choices. He taught her that choosing wisely was important, like she’d always known. He made her think and look inside herself for answers.
Day after day she would wait for the message to come to say that the next game was ready. It was like waiting for Christmas day; like waiting to tear the paper off the best present in the world.
Except for weekends. The game wasn’t available at weekends and it made her sad and long for Mondays. She missed it so terribly and found that anything else she did seemed so second rate, comparatively. But maybe that was the point. Another lesson perhaps? You see with this game you couldn’t buy credit and cheat your way to the next level. In this game, where it wasn’t really a game at all, credit had to be earned.
24 Comments on Marsha Mallow
Masher
4th May, 2014 15:05
I have NO idea what all that’s about. Far too clever for me.
Can’t we just go back to all the doors?
Juliette
5th May, 2014 09:05
Haha! Bit too much for a Sunday innit’ Masher. Worse on a bank holiday Monday cos that’s like a Sunday with bells on! And the sun in shining, what’s going on?
I’m on it. I am the founder of artchology. The door philosopher. The brand begins. Doors R us.
pullupatoadstool.com
4th May, 2014 18:05
Whoa…this is deep. In many places I paused to tell you…through the screen, unheard of course…to get out of my head! I totally relate to this Jules. Brilliant. xx
Juliette
5th May, 2014 09:05
I couldn’t hear you cos I always have my sound muted! It’s why we get on so well Tracy 🙂 Thank you.
Miss Alister
4th May, 2014 23:05
Well this is a fantastic work, Jules! The Devil’s cookies and some of the other insidious components remind me of a conglomeration of games inside one game that’s like “real” life and likely is “real” life, that’s how tricky and dripping with treacle they are. It seems remotely akin to The Dice Man concept of Flipism in which my particular brain is too much a part of it to be fooled by it and thereby I cannot receive the intended, “freeing” benefits of it, i.e. I am trickier and more willful and therefore more stuck, says blinded I. Enlightened I thinks yes, another lesson. Just never underestimate the capability of the computer in your washing machine (Sir-I might be a good one to put on that case). I dunno, but I loved the adventures of She!
Miss A
Juliette
5th May, 2014 09:05
The riveting Miss A! Oh the Devils cookies. Taste so sweet but make you sick as a dog, after.
With you on the Dice Man and also too wilful that I become blinded.
Everything is a lesson. Even if it’s not meant to be one it becomes one if it turns up the washer to super spin. Absence only fuels the need. I actually (cos I thought it would be novel) asked Sir I about that. He just sent me to a web site on how to sanitise your machine. Meh, laundry talk. Thank you for your wonderful analysis 🙂
LL
5th May, 2014 03:05
A slightly autobiographical adventure? Then again, aren’t they all?
Juliette
5th May, 2014 09:05
Every story has elements of self embodied within. Guess I shall have to be careful on the clown one, eh? Got to analyse a whole circus troop there!
Gorilla Bananas
5th May, 2014 06:05
I’ve heard of these computer games. A girl rides off into a virtual reality world and meets handsome strangers who want to fondle her bum. Marsha seems like nice girl whose head is fizzing with romance, but maybe she needs a chaperone. I’m not sure Flame is up to the task.
Juliette
5th May, 2014 09:05
They want to do what, say? I’m utterly shocked at this news. How does one virtually twerk?
Oh I think that flame is her champion but she just needs to learn a new set of lovely rules.
the late phoenix
5th May, 2014 14:05
Season 2 is here! I was so inundated with busywork this weekend I forgot all about Star Wars Day. I was gonna get my hair did in Leia Buns and everything…
Juliette
5th May, 2014 17:05
If the fourth was really with you then you should have been able to grow Mickey Mouse, Leia buns just like that despite busywork, sweet Phoenix. I hope you’ve got your bikini donned ready for season 2! 😉
Dean D
5th May, 2014 20:05
Deep. So deep I am drowning. So many meanings, so many paths, so many choices. A consummate creation.
Juliette
5th May, 2014 20:05
I know! I’m not an airhead all the time. Who’d have thought!
Thanks Dean 🙂
Crystal Collier
7th May, 2014 13:05
Head=spinning. Maybe that’s the sleep deprivation, maybe it’s the lack of cheese this morning. Whew! What a trip.
Juliette
8th May, 2014 10:05
I promise to return to my normal whimsical self soon. Once the demons have eaten my matter! ;P
LL
13th May, 2014 07:05
None of us can write without demons gnawing at us.
Blue Grumpster
7th May, 2014 20:05
The protagonist of possibilities… That’s pure poetry, Jules. I love your similes. “I am incapable of love…” That sounds pretty much like my ex speaking. Come to think of it, there was something very virtual about her. I know someone who loves his TomTom. Why? Because “she” keeps him company on the road to wherever.
P.S. How could gobbledegook not made sense?
Blue Grumpster
7th May, 2014 20:05
*make
Juliette
8th May, 2014 10:05
Lets start a band, Blue! We can call it the ‘protagonist of possibilities’ and sing poetic verse to people on the streets. I can have a triangle and you a tambourine.
See, ya get it. Gobbledegook ALWAYS makes sense to sense-ational people. 🙂
Blue Grumpster
12th May, 2014 20:05
Sounds like a plan. I would so do it too. Any chance Az would want to play the trompet?
#Gobbledegook check out our look jump in a brooke go read a blue book”(Hit that triangle, Jules!)
Juliette
14th May, 2014 08:05
I’m hitting it, Blue! TING! Loving it already…
Blue Grumpster
19th May, 2014 00:05
X Factor eat your heart out! TING! No one can TING that thing like you, Jules. #Gobbledegook check out our look…#
Juliette
19th May, 2014 14:05
curiouser and curiouser…..here I go!
Leave a Comment
Your email address will not be published.